Electrical connectors are often specific to an electronic device type, device manufacturer, and/or device product line, and are therefore electrically incompatible with each other despite being able to physically mate. If a user mistakenly uses an incorrect electrical connector for a device, many problems may occur. For instance, a device may be damaged and/or its useful life shortened if the wrong electrical connector is used. Additionally, accidental connection of incompatible devices could lead to incorrect signals being exchanged or malfunction of a device. Thus, electrical connectors are often designed in such a way that they will not mate with incompatible devices.
Despite the risk of electrical connectors being used with incompatible devices, there may be manufacturing and economic advantages of making a universal electrical connector type. There are also environmental and consumer benefits of producing a universal electrical connector. For example, electrical connectors for obsolete devices are often discarded by users because the connectors are not suitable for use with other devices. Producing a universal electrical connector would allow for the recycling and reuse of electrical connectors.
While a universal electrical connector has several advantages, the risk of incompatible connection can outweigh the advantages of producing a universal electrical connector. What is needed is an electrical connector that prohibits accidental incompatible connection, but provides electrical connection for a multitude of electronic devices.